Baltimore City police said a Johns Hopkins Hospital gynecologist who was facing a criminal conduct investigation involving inappropriate photos that were taken of patients killed himself Monday.

Johns Hopkins officials said in a statement that they launched an investigation on Feb. 4 into Dr. Nikita Levy, 54, after an employee alerted them of the possibility that he was inappropriately photographing and videotaping his patients during appointments.

Hospital spokeswoman Kim Hoppe said that within a day, security personnel determined Levy had been "illegally and without our knowledge photographing his patients and possibly others with his personal photographic and video equipment and storing those images electronically."

Officials said Levy was immediately prohibited from any further patient contact. Hospital officials said they notified the Baltimore City Police Department and, after Levy acknowledged the allegations, he was fired on Feb. 8. Officials said they offered him counseling services.

Hopkins officials said a few of Levy's patients were notified of the allegations and his dismissal, but he treated hundreds of patients, so not all of them have been identified. A call center and counseling services have been set up for patients and possible victims. The number is 855-546-3785.

Baltimore County police were called to Levy's home Monday morning, 10 days after he was fired. Inside, officers said they found the doctor dead. Police and Hopkins confirmed Levy took his own life.

Police said they have a lot of evidence to go through in the case against Levy. Meanwhile, Hopkins officials said they're doing what they can for the patients who may have been affected.

"Any invasion of patient privacy is intolerable. Words cannot express how deeply sorry we are for every patient whose privacy may have been violated. Dr. Levy's behavior violates Johns Hopkins code of conduct and privacy policies and is against everything for which Johns Hopkins Medicine stands. We continue to work closely with law enforcement officials and will assist them in any way possible," hospital officials said in a statement.

The Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Trustees said it will be setting up its own investigation, which will work in tandem with law enforcement.

"We regard our patients' rights to privacy and professionalism as fundamental and foundational. We deeply regret any distress experienced by our patients and their families," the statement said.

Levy's family and friends in his Towson neighborhood declined to comment about the doctor's death or the investigation.

The Maryland Board of Physicians' website said Levy had "no known disciplinary actions" in the past 10 years. He graduated from Cornell University in 1984 and received his Maryland license in 1988.